Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Those Freshman Days

copyright Jennifer Pendergast

"So how do you like it here at the University, George?"

"I love it,  Mark!  The classes are  stimulating,  I like my professors, and the experience living away from home is cool."

"I feel the same,  George.  Even the food is good.  And you couldn't ask for a more beautiful tree-lined campus!"

"I love the architecture of the residence halls too.  There's only one thing I don't like."

"What's that?"

"The stairs we have to take down to where the classes are.''

"What stairs?  There's a black pole we slide down 200 feet."

"That's what I don't like!"

"George, if you don't like sliding down poles,  don't come to the Red Adair University of Firefighting!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If there isn't a school of higher learning for firefighters like the Red Adair University of Firefighting, there ought to be.  And considering the great job these guys do for all of us, it ought to actually have stairs as well as a campus that looks like the one in the picture prompt above on which my Friday Fictioneers entry for this week is based.

I don't want to yell "fire" in a crowded theater, but you ought to exit the theater right now and check out the blazing hot contributions of  the other Fictioneers by breaking the glass and sounding the alarm right here

Ready to slide down the pole?   Yeah, I know ... maybe by senior year. 

55 comments:

Woman on Pause said...

I swear I was waiting to find out the guy was attending classes in some scary alternate universe. I loved this!

Russell said...

I assume the female students are majoring in pole dancing. If that's the case, both George and Mark might decide to become career students.

Anonymous said...

I was wondering why everything was so dandy for these guys - they are learning something with a definite outcome they chose themselves! (Love Russell's comment about the pole dancing. Alicia

Perry Block said...

Thank you, Sarah. For some reason, with all that was beautiful in this picture I could only see the banister that looks like it has no stairs attached, hence the school became Firefighters University. Wish I had the SATs to attend ....

Perry Block said...

Count on you, Russell, to take something noble and humanitarian like the many services of firefighters on our behalf and turn it into something sleazy and disgusting. And may I say, sir .... thank you so much!!!

Perry Block said...

Don't encourage him, Alicia.

Unknown said...

If there are no stairs how do they get back up? Do they have to climb that 200 ft pole? That wouldn't be much fun!

Anonymous said...

Very good! Excellent surprise! I was trying to fit Hogwart in there somehow and it wasn't quite working.
Scott

Perry Block said...

That's one of the great mysteries about firefighters. I was hoping you knew!

Perry Block said...

Yes it was. Hogwarts Firefighting College is just down the road!

Sandra Crook said...

:) I too was wondering how you get back upstairs. Nice one!

Anonymous said...

Worked my way through college as a fireman. Missed 1/3 of all classes, but grades went up from D's & F's to A's & B's. After waxing the truck 5 times, there was nothing to do but study. Hey, it worked for me. But we never had poles to slide down, or pole-dancing girls. If we had, grades would had gone back down to D's & F's, Ha.

Anonymous said...

Funny you guys! Nan

Anonymous said...

Good story and my husband was a firefighter when we first got married. Poor guy didn't know what to do! Great fun Perry - as usual. You know what, I bet he didn't go to that school on visitation day either. No wonder he is confused! Nan :)

P.S. Joshi said...

Perry, Good story and funny as usual. You and Russell are like a comedy team. :) My dad was a fireman, at the last a captain, so I can clear up a couple of issues. He took some courses at the city university besides special training in procedures the city provided. In the fire houses where there was a second floor, there "were" stairs. When the bell rang for a fire they had to get there fast so they slid down the pole if it was night and they were upstairs sleeping. At night they had a pair of pants with suspenders, the ends of which were in their fire boots. When the bell rang, they got up, put their legs and feet into the pants and boots, pulled up the suspenders, slid down the pole and finished dressing downstairs by putting on their coats and hats. They then climbed into the truck and were on their way. : ) ---Susan

Unknown said...

I figured it out! They use the ladder truck to get back upstairs!

Anonymous said...

Good entry, Perry!

And the Jeopardy answer is --- to keep his pants up.

Linda Palund said...

What a beautiful University for Fire Fighters! It does look like a serious dip down those stairs through that archway. Made me chuckle. BUT - when are you going to take a look under The Little Black Dress! I want your opinion!!!!!

Anonymous said...

ridiculous! hahaha :) and brilliant. yes it does look like a pole, doesn't it?
i'm probably worse that russell coz i was imagining a bunch of hot firefighters who also have pole dancing in their curriculum. lol

Anonymous said...

I agree, kudos to firefighters everywhere. Thanks for enlightening us on this higher level of education.

S.K. Dubois said...

You and Russell need to take your show on the road. The comments and replies are as much fun as your story. Deeply moving...As always.

Rochelle Wisoff-Fields said...

Dear Perry,

So do they climb ladders to get back upstairs? It would make sense. I didn't see that last line coming as Kent read it to me in the car. I nearly drove up a pole. Thanks for the raging inferno of laughter. Hee hee.

shalom,

Rochelle

Perry Block said...

We try, Nan. We try.

Perry Block said...

Good guess, but that's not it. Only graduates of the Red Adair University of Firefighting truly know the answer.

Perry Block said...

Well, Sandra, you'll either have to attend the Red Adair University of Firefighting or get one of its graduates very very drunk.

Perry Block said...

Mike, that's very cool to know and thank you for sharing and for your service. Now let's find us some pole dancing girls fast!

Perry Block said...

He doesn't strike me as confused at all and if he still wants to attend the Red Adair University of Firefighting, I'd be thrilled to write him a recommendation! For a nominal fee.

Perry Block said...

Thank you, Susan. That was great to know and I'm sure you're really proud of your dad. But I did want to think firefighters somehow flew up the pole at the end of the day in some inexplicable paranormal way aside from taking the very prosaic steps. So I'm going to forget that part of your explanation selectively. The mythology lives on!

Perry Block said...

You should have made that one a true Daily Double!

Perry Block said...

I'm here for you, Boomer Babe.

Perry Block said...

You are indeed worse than Russell, and just about anybody else ...which makes you the best, KZ! Bring on the hot firefighters!

Perry Block said...

Thanks, Patti. Enlightenment is my middle name.

Perry Block said...

We've discussed it, but Russell wants top billing and more money. A deeply moving drama may follow. We'll keep you posted.

Perry Block said...

Yes, I am frequently referred to as the Raging Inferno of Laughter. It gets embarrassing when I'm introduced that way at the senior center. Thanks, Rochelle!

EL Appleby said...

Hi Perry
Very funny stuff - I can just imagine them sliding down that pole :)
A small error in your first line though - 'How do you like here it...' should be 'How do you like it here..' methinks.

Douglas MacIlroy said...

Dear Perry,

I knew who Red Adair was (John Wayne) and i loved your (and his) imagined University. very well done.

Aloha,

Doug

Unknown said...

In other words you have no clue because you never graduated?

P.S. Joshi said...

Doesn't surprise me a bit Perry. : ) ---Susn

Russell said...

Perry, are you saying I'm encouragable? Why, thank you.

Russell said...

Naw, the straight-man always gets top billing. You go first, Perry.

Perry Block said...

Good catch. I guess it's those smoke inhalation fumes! CHOKE!!!

Perry Block said...

Thanks, Doug! And now the commencement address from our esteemed founder and first president, Mr. John Wayne! (Who's Red Adair?)

Perry Block said...

I want to break up! And Frank Sinatra can reunite us on national television 20 years from now.

Dawn said...

Haha..I agree!

brudberg said...

Yes.. you'd better choose the right education.. :-) great take..

Anonymous said...

On the head as usual, Perry - as soon as I read your story, I saw the picture in a new light. That's one of the things I love about FF!

Perry Block said...

Thanks for agreeing, Dawn!

Perry Block said...

Yes, darn it! I got wait listed.

Perry Block said...

Yes, me too. I can only see fireman sliding down that pole and not liberal arts majors!

dianevolved said...

Great story. How cute, Red Adair--I actually know who he is. John Wayne played him in a movie. Your story made me laugh. Lucy

Perry Block said...

Thanks, Lucy. Yes, I have been informed that John Wayne played him although I didn't see the movie. I'm sure the Duke's acting made the pole in our story seem animated!

Subroto said...

Great ending. I hear the school's calendar sells well.

Perry Block said...

Yes, but the paper it's printed on burns way too easily!

Dawn Q. said...

I love your back and forth dialogues Perry... and yes, indeed, there should be a school like the Red Air!

Perry Block said...

I agree. I'll get crackin' on it!